Question 1

What is involved in finger reattachment surgery and recovery?

Accepted Answer

Finger reattachment is a complex microsurgical procedure. If reattachment is possible, patients can expect a long time in the operating room, often requiring a Foley catheter. The process involves reattaching bones with pins, then repairing tendons (Dr. Pearce prefers the modified Kessler approach), and finally using a surgical microscope with sutures thinner than a human hair to fix tiny blood vessels. Dr. Pearce notes that fixing veins is particularly challenging, often necessitating the use of leeches for 4-5 days post-op until natural venous return establishes. A 2-4 day ICU stay is typically required, which is a significant cost factor.

Question 2

What safety precautions does Dr. Pearce recommend to prevent severe facial injuries?

Accepted Answer

Dr. Pearce strongly recommends always using face protection when operating tools like an angle grinder. He emphasizes that face protection serves as the critical last line of defense against severe facial injuries that could otherwise lead to an ICU stay and require a breathing tube.

Question 3

What is Dr. Pearce's recommended post-operative scar care for breast lifts?

Accepted Answer

For breast lift scars, Dr. Pearce recommends starting basic preventative treatments about three weeks after surgery. Patients are advised to use silicone scar sheets, specifically the Cylogen brand, for approximately three months. These sheets and gels work by keeping the scar hydrated, which promotes collagen production, reduces redness, and helps create a smoother scar. While most scars fade significantly over 12-18 months naturally, consistent use of silicone strips can help them fade to almost nothing. After three months of silicone use, patients are typically advised to wait until about the one-year mark before considering other scar treatments.

Question 4

What factors influence the cost and approach for gynecomastia surgery?

Accepted Answer

The cost and surgical approach for gynecomastia depend on several factors, including the extent of the condition and patient preference. Mild to moderate cases involving glandular tissue or liposuction can often be performed in the office under local anesthetic, starting around $5,000 at this practice. This in-office approach helps reduce the overall price by avoiding facility and general anesthesia fees. However, for more extensive cases, such as significant loose skin after weight loss, or if a patient prefers not to be awake, surgery in an operating room is recommended for safety and will increase the cost. Additional factors like age and the need for skin tightening (e.g., using J-Plasma) can also increase the price. Overall, prices for gynecomastia surgery can range from approximately $5,000 up to $15,000, varying by surgeon and region.

Question 5

Can breast implants freeze, and how do they react to temperature changes?

Accepted Answer

Breast implants, whether saline or silicone, will not freeze rock-solid in a living person. Saline implants would require a core body temperature of around 28°F, and silicone implants between -67°F and -170°F, neither of which is survivable. However, implants can be slower to adjust to temperature changes than the rest of the body. For example, after being in a cold swimming pool or spending time outside in the cold, implants might feel cold for a while. This effect can be more noticeable if implants are placed above the muscle, where there's less insulation, compared to behind the muscle where blood flow helps keep them warmer.

Question 6

What is the difference between pseudo-gynecomastia and true gynecomastia, and how are they treated?

Accepted Answer

Pseudo-gynecomastia refers to chest fat that can improve with diet and exercise, especially if the chest feels soft and lacks a hard, rubbery lump. True gynecomastia, however, is caused by thick, fibrous glandular tissue that will not respond to diet and exercise. The only effective treatment for true gynecomastia is surgery, which involves a small incision around the areola to remove the gland, resulting in a much better chest shape. Dr. Pearce advises attempting diet and exercise first, as there's no way to definitively know if it's pseudo-gynecomastia until you try.

Question 7

What does Dr. Pearce say about their techniques?

Accepted Answer

The doctor personally prefers the modified Kessler approach for tendon repair. Once all that's done, we wheel in this behemoth surgical microscope to put together your tiny, tiny blood vessels. And we use suture that's thinner than a human hair. This is a hair. That is the size suture that we use to fix your digital artery.

Question 8

What does Dr. Pearce say about what they specialize in?

Accepted Answer

So let's say for example, you just have a little bit, just a little bit of extra glands and puffy nipples and you just wanna get those taken out. That's something that's pretty straightforward and we can take care of that here in the office under local anesthetic. The other part of it too, is you might need some liposuction. So that one we can also do here in the office.

Question 9

What does Dr. Pearce say about safety?

Accepted Answer

For significant weight loss (e.g., 100 pounds) resulting in breasts hanging down to the belly button, surgery should probably be done in the operating room for safety.

Question 10

What does Dr. Pearce say about the technology they use?

Accepted Answer

We use something called J-Plasma where we help tighten the skin just underneath the skin whenever we use that device.

Question 11

What does Dr. Pearce say about cost and consultation fees?

Accepted Answer

You might be a little older, you might be in your forties like me. Your skin has been stretched out from gynecomastia for a while now. So you might need some skin tightening and that can also increase the cost of that. So that brings down the price a little bit because we're doing it all under local anesthetic. So for us here at our practice, it starts around $5,000 to do the procedure awake here in the office.

Dr. Paul M. Pearce, MD

In Dr. Paul M. Pearce's own words

About

Connect with Dr. Paul M. Pearce on Social Media

Specialties

Procedures & Services

Procedure details

Average Cost of Surgery

Questions, Answers, and Information Directly from Dr. Paul M. Pearce

Videos from Dr. Paul M. Pearce

From Dr. Paul M. Pearce's Instagram

Technologies & brands Dr. Paul M. Pearce mentions

Patient Experience

Dr. Paul M. Pearce Review Summary

Ratings from Other Platforms

m.yelp.com

healthgrades.com

Google Reviews

Book a Service Consultation

Industry Payments

What this means for your care

Insurance Information

Help us improve this profile

Location & Contact Information

Where does Dr. Paul M. Pearce practice?

Doctor's Office

Hospital Affiliations

Education & Experience

Frequently Asked Questions